MC Hammer, Mike Hosking and the art of celebrity reinvention

MC Hammer. Photo / Supplied

The most powerful broadcaster in the country, Mike Hosking, is gaining a large following on social networking site Twitter: 1,354 followers and counting. He's a long way from the 1.6 million followers MC Hammer boasts.

The former '90s rap star has reinvented himself into a Twitter magnate. Back in the day he wore parachute sequin pants and gyrated provocatively. Hosking watched Coro and sipped cups of tea in bed.

The two men have come a long way from then reinventing themselves into tech-savvy, exercise-loving broadcasters with thousands of followers.

But Hammer can dance. The Hosk admitted he can't. "White men can't dance," he said unequivocally on Close Up last night. "Can you see me in a pair of hammer pants? A little white guy? What sort of pants do you see me in?" he flirted. "Tight ones," Hammer dead-panned. That's a reinvention I'd happily miss.

MC Hammer was at Sale St yesterday to promote the Xbox 360 karaoke game Lips: Number One Hits which features the track that shot him to fame. He performed three hit songs complete with back-up dancers last night in front of three hundred fans including P-Money, PNC, Hayley Holt, Dave Gibson and Jamie Linehan.

After the performance he invited me to join his table for a very private, very exclusive dinner in the Velvet Room. It was fantastic. Check out all the details in my column this Sunday.

Video: MC Hammer in Auckland

Tem Morrison's career comeback

Things are looking up for cash-strapped Temuera Morrison who started shooting the action adventure thriller Tracker in and around Queenstown this week alongside British actor Ray Winstone (The Departed, Beowulf).

The production will be based in the district for the next three to four weeks and Morrison will be pinning his hopes that this movie will be his entre back into the world of leading-man acting.

His last role as the gratuitous native gong-banger in the Vince Vaughn romantic comedy Couples Retreat was a big step down from the fame and fortune he found after the critically-acclaimed Once Were Warriors in 1994.

Tracker is the first major movie to be filmed in Queenstown since Wolverine with Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber.

The film is set in 1903 with Winstone playing an ex-Boer War guerrilla in New Zealand who is sent out to bring back a Maori (Morrison) accused of killing a British soldier.

Morrison had two weeks to get in to physical shape for his comeback role, something he didn't find too difficult. "I've done it before. I'm just lucky it doesn't take long for my body to get into shape," he told the Herald on Sunday.

A lot is pinned on this comeback role. Two months ago Morrison told a newspaper that "being in another good film with a good script and a good director" could make him hot again.

Calling Liz Gunn

My source at the people's network tells me everything is on track for the highly-anticipated anniversary party on November 25 celebrating 40 years of network news.

Dougal Stevenson will be a guest of honour at the TVNZ bash. He is making a speech, though I hear he's requested an old black 1960s telephone for a prop which may bring back some fond memories for the golden oldies like John Hawkesby who is bringing daughter Kate as his date.

She was scheduled to have lunch recently with Anthony Flannery to discuss the possibility of a TV comeback role at TVNZ, though there is nothing planned in the immediate future, I understand.

Hawkesby senior's former sidekick, Judy Bailey, will not be making a comeback - to the party, that is. Like Tom Bradley and Philip Sherry, the former mother of the nation has a prior commitment and is apparently passing up the opportunity to return to the network and celebrate the anniversary. Pity.

Anita McNaught and Doug Armstrong are too far away to make the long jaunt home.

Luckily, it's all go for Susan Wood, Cathy Campbell, Eric Young, Bill Ralston, Linda Clark, Pam Corkery, Jennie Goodwin, Maggie Barry, Sacha McNeil, Jason Reeves, Ric Salizzo, Louise Pagonis, Karen Sims and Kim Webby.

But one prominent newsreader is yet to be located, like Liz Gunn. Where is the Gunn? Anyone?

 

Rachel Glucina

Pictured above: American artist MC Hammer. Photo / Supplied